ORIOLES AND ROLLERS. 55 



without faded leaves which have turned yellow, and the bird so 

 plainly visible in the air becomes as one of these the moment 

 it alights. If in bamboos, their yellow tints are an even 

 greater concealment. Nature has made no mistake, then, in 

 clothing the golden oriole. Besides his generally yellow tint, 

 he has a good deal of black, his wings being largely dark, as 

 well as his tail except the tip. His beak is of a most beautiful 

 rose colour. Altogether, seen at his best at close quarters, 

 as I have seen him a good many times, he is one of the most 

 artistically arrayed birds that our woods can show. His 

 mate is but little less dazzling. The bright yellow of his 

 back changes for a distinct tinge of green on hers, probaby 

 for protection when sitting. 



The nest is sometimes arranged on the fork of a branch 

 in a way not unlike that of the hawfinch, but at other times 

 is suspended between the two, only very strong filamentous 

 tissue being used under such circumstances. The little ones 

 are as voracious as young birds generally are, and keep 

 their devoted parents hard at work from day-light to dark, 

 the debt due them from our tree and garden owners being 

 commensurate with these labours. On the other hand, when 

 once fruits are ripe, the orioles, like so many other insect-eaters 

 insist on having a share. In this, as in some other things, 

 they are like the thrushes and blackbirds. There is not a 

 little in the oriole shape to suggest the song-thrush, whilst 

 in flight there is a distinct resemblance to the undulating 

 movements of the blackbird when the distance to be covered 

 is long enough. There is only this to be said of the song of 

 the oriole: it is clear in tone, it is strong and ringing, and 

 there is some variation in it. But oriolus cannot claim in 

 the slightest degree to be a songster, as our local black- 

 bird can, or as the unrivalled thrush in England may. Both 

 sexes have a most curious cat-like cry, used perhaps 

 as an alarm for calling attention to danger. The "scrake- 

 scrake" of the blue magpie (Urocissa cenilea) is used, I know, 

 for a like purpose. But the male oriole has a few very re- 

 gularly uttered phrases which may be transliterated in various 

 ways. One of his familiar cries sounds out at intervals, "A 

 large affair, a large affair", the words seem to be. Then 

 comes another, "Chu-chu'll pay you: Chu-chu'll pay you," 

 often shortened into "Chu-chu'll pay." But that which is said 

 to give the bird its name consists of a succession of six notes, 

 "Be patient, Oriole", being their message. From all which it 

 might be gathered that notwithstanding its constant clothing 

 of cloth of gold the oriole has friends and acquaintances which 

 have a difficulty in meeting their obligations! 



I take some pleasure in recording the fact that I have 

 killed but one oriole. That was many years ago down in a 



